BayBuzz popped in on the Camp Wellstone training weekend in Tampa on Sunday, the seven-year anniversary of the death of Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone. The three-day weekend drew more than 120 candidates, campaign workers and activists, mostly from Florida, but a handful from other parts of the country. Hillsborough's Young Democrats organized the event. Among the candidates on hand: John Dingfelder and Valerie Goddard, who are running for Hillsborough County Commission; Tampa city council hopeful Seth Nelson; Congressional candidate Doug Tudor; and state House candidates Z.J. Hafeez, Christopher Mitchell, Christopher Cano, Jose Vazquez and Russ Patterson.

Among the pearls of wisdom shared at a direct mail workshop: Always use a union printer, and if you're a left-leaning candidate, don't overdo the stars and stripes graphics. Conservatives gravitate toward images of the American flag, trainer Rudy Lopez told the group. "For progressive audiences, this doesn't play as well," he said.

Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer